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G; RUDDELL.

PLATFQR-M ELEVATOR- No. 445,610. Patented Feb. 3, 1891.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR wwnw W W WW Mm/XQM v ymm STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE ItUDDELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PLATFO RlVl- E LEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,610, dated February3, 1891.

Application filed May 26, 1888. Serial No. 275,152. (N0 m0del.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE RUDDELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertainnew and useful Improvements in Platform-Elevators; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement upon the apparatus set forth and shownin the Letters Patent No. 278,050, granted to George Ruddell, and datedMay 22, 1883.

The object of my present invention is to obviate the tendency sometimesexperienced in apparatus constructed according to my former patent onthe part of the elevator platform or platforms and their adjuncts to jaror slam while the same passes from the uppermost of the pulleys orsprocketwheels whereupon run the vertical endless chains which carry theplatform or platforms; also, to provide means whereby the platform orplatforms of the apparatus may on occasion be employed for lifting anddischarging boxes, bales, and the like, with the same facility as ifdischarging barrels and like cylindrical articles.

The said invention comprises certain novel combinations of parts wherebythe objects hereinbefore indicated are efiectuallysecured.

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of an apparatusembracing the first hereinbefore-indicated feature of my said invention.Fig. 2 is a rear view of a portion of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the platform whichforms part of my said apparatus, and Fig. 4 a plan view illustratingthat feature of my said invention which relates to the discharge ofboxes, bales, and the like from the platform or platforms. Fig.5 is aview illustrating one of the details of the construction of saidapparatus.

In Figs. 1 and 2, as in the drawings of my patent dated May 22, 1883, asaforesaid, A A indicate the several floors of a Warehouse, and

'13 the vertical frame which supports the workwith which is provided thevertical hoistway through which said apparatus works. At the top of thisframe B is a shaft 0,0n which are sprocket-wheels D. At the lower end ofsaid frame is a corresponding shaft 0', provided with likesprocket-wheels D. Vertical endless chains E are placed upon thesesprocket wheels D D, extending from one to the other. One of theseshaftsas, for example, the upper shaft Cmay be connected by suitablegearing A, or otherwise, with a driving-shaft ormechanism for giving therequisite motion to the shaft, and consequently to the sprocketwheels,and from the latter to the endless chains E.

G G are platforms, of which one or more may be provided to the endlesschains, and each of which has its rear or inner end strongly hinged orpivoted to the two chains E, as indicated at f, each of the saidplatforms having a downwardly extending bracket H, which has at itslower end an anti-friction wheel or roller I, which runs in contact withthe front surface or tracks of the two side posts of the frame B. Theplatforms may be composed of side pieces c011- nected by cross-bars g g,and each platform is provided with rollers 71, which facilitate thetransfer therefrom of the articles elevated and designed to bedischarged upon one or the other of the floors of the warehouse. In thefront of each of the posts of the frame B, whereon run the anti-frictionrollers I, are what may be termed fixed cams K, so arranged withreference to the face or front of the said side posts or parts of theframe B as to permit the bracket II to swing backward when the same isbrought opposite said cam during the upward movement of the platform.This causes the platform to tilt as it rises, so that temporarily itsforward end remains substantially coincident with the level of thefloor, While the rear portion of said platform is still rising, therebycausing the platform to automatically discharge its load upon. the 5floor. As the upward movement of the plat form continues, the cams K,acting upon the brackets of the platform, swing the same forward,thereby causing the anti-friction rollers I to come again upon the frontsurface or tracks a and consequentlybrin gin g the platform to itsnormal or substantially horizontal position. In this manner the upwardmovement of the front of the chains, due to the rotation in therequisite direction of the sprocket-wheels, brings the platforms insuccession opposite each of the floors, and at each pair of the adjacentfixed cams K automatieally actuates the platform to deposit its load. Asthe platforms G are carried around by the rotation of the chains E, theyare of course inverted and swung upon their pivotal connections f asthey pass to the back of the apparatus. f

To prevent the platforms from too suddenly swinging down to a positionparallel with the adjacent portion of the chains E after they pass overthe uppermost sprocketwheels D, my present improvements are applied tothe apparatus as follows: Fixed in suitable relation to the said uppersprocketwheels 1) are curved concave cams, as they may be termed M, andaffixed upon the frame B, at the opposite sides thereof and in the samevertical planes with the cams M are what may be conveniently designatedfixed cams M. The cams M are so placed that lateral projections providedwith anti-friction rollers 1', placed externally upon the lateral edgesor sides of the platforms G, will pass underneath and incontact with thesame, and by preventing the too sudden turning of the platform upon itspivotal connection f retards the downwardswinging movementof saidplatform. \Vhen a certain point is reached, other similar pulleys 7spass upon the outer surface a of said cams M, which are preferably madeintegral with the cams M. The cams M, because of their contour, hinderwithout entirely impeding the downward movement of the platform G aroundits pivotal connection f, simultaneous with its being carried down bythe movement of the chains E. \Vhen the antifriction rollers 7.; passupon the cams N, arranged below, which as the platforms pass bodilydownward gravitate their turning upon their pivots f until they arebrought to their position parallel with the adjacent sides or portionsof the chains E, which position they retain until swung into theiroriginal position when carried around under and from the lowersprocket-wheels D.

The anti-friction rollers -i 7o work upon the laterally-extended ends ofthe cross-bars said ends forming journals for said anti-frictionrollers. By the means described the platforms G and their brackets IIare carried over at-the top of the apparatus withoutany of the jar orconcussion sometimes incident to the operation of the machine whenconstructed as shown in my patent of May 22, 1883, aforesaid.

In order to increase the facility with which boxes, bales, &c., may bedischarged from the platforms, I provide asupplemental plate or frame-work P, (shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) which may be'formed of sheetmetal of any suitable thickness, and which has a hook formed at itsouter extremity, as shown at m, so that it may be hooked upon theoutermost of the crossbars g of the platform, and at its inner end it isprovided with downwardly-projecting studs 1', which pass astride of thecorresponding innermost bar, as, for example, the bar or pivot f, theends of which connect the platforms G with the chains E. A sliding rod sworks in suitable guides I), provided to the plate or frame-work P,andone of which may be formed by the studs 0'. This sliding rod or catchis provided with a knob or handle 0', by which it may be retracted, andwith a spiral spring (1', by which it is forced backward under the barf, thereby retaining the plate or frame-work P upon the platform. Thisplate or framework P is provided with any desired number of rollers w,the upper surfaces of which pro ject above the upper surface of saidplate or frame-work P, and inasmuch as said plate or frame-work P is putin position, as just explained, upon the upper part of the platform, itfollows that a box, bale, or the like will ride upon the rollers 10 whenthe plat form is tilted, as hereinoefore explained, and so be depositedupon the adjacent floor A, with substantially the same certainty andfacility as a barrel would roll from the said platform when the latteris not provided with the plate or frame-work P and its rollers w. Byretracting the sliding rod or catch 3 and lifting the rear or inner endof the plate or frame-work P, its opposite or hooked end m may bereadily detached and the frame-Work and its adjuncts removed from theplatform.

The pivotalconnection f of the platform G with the endless chains E ispreferably made by means of a cross-bar extending from one side to theother of that part of the platform with its ends extended through saidvsides of the platform and entering into suitable sockets in the saidchains, as shown in Fig. 5. Said sockets may, when desired, be providedby the pivot-holes of the adjoining links in each chain, the ends of thecross-barf serv ing the double purpose of pivots to connect said linksat said point and of pivoting. the platform to said chains at vsuchjunction of the links.

Certain features of construction shown and described, but not claimed inthis application, are shown, described, and claimed in an applicationfiled by me, Serial No. 355,012.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with thesprocketwheels D D, endless chains E, frame B, having one or more fixedcams K, and platform G, having brackets H, of the cams M and M, and therollers 2' and at the lateral edges of the platform, and arranged toengage, respect ively, with the under side of the cam M and the outerside of the ealn h substantially as substantially as and. for thepurpose herein and for the purpose herein set forth. set forth.

2. The combination with the sprocket- 1 wheels D D, endless chains E,frame B, hav- GEORGE BUD D 5 ing one or more fixed cams K, and platformWVitnesses:

G, halving brackets H, of the anti-friction roll- CHARLES A. HERBERT,

ers 7c and i and fixed cams M, M, and N, all ALBERT C. AUBERY.

